State: Election panel subpoenas McBride, union chief over ad

Election panel subpoenas McBride, union chief over ad

By WES ALLISON, Times Staff Writer

The Florida Elections Commission on Tuesday issued subpoenas to Bill McBride, the Democratic candidate for governor, and the president of the state teachers union to force them to answer questions about an ad the union aired on McBride's behalf.

The McBride campaign and the Florida Education Association vowed to fight the subpoenas, saying the investigation is politically motivated by Republicans on the commission.

Of nine commission members, at least six have strong ties to the Republican Party of Florida or to Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, who faces a strong challenge from McBride.

Last month, the commission ordered its staff to investigate the connection between the McBride campaign and the Quality Public Education Corp., which was established by the teachers union to produce and air a TV ad touting his life story.

The commission's staff had concluded that the ad was legal.

The commission "is running down the road seeking information that ultimately is protected by free speech," said McBride spokesman Alan Stonecipher. "In the midst of a campaign, the politicizing of a governing body for partisan campaign purposes is an abomination."

The FEA established QPEC this summer to raise money for the ad. It first aired in mid July and is now off the air, but it is widely credited with providing the boost McBride needed to beat Janet Reno for the Democratic nomination for governor.

At issue is whether the ad explicitly urged viewers to vote for McBride. The Republican Party contends it did, in violation of campaign finance laws. McBride, QPEC and the FEA contend it did not.

The Elections Commission's executive director and attorney agreed with the union and dismissed the original complaint. But last month, the GOP appealed to the full commission, which voted 6-2 to launch an investigation.

McBride and FEA president Maureen Dinnen have since refused to answer the commission's questions about the ad and have gone to court to block the investigation.